The 25-foot, 2-inch (7.68 meters) halfpipe air at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass marked a new world record, surpassing Hirano’s own previous benchmark.
Aspen, CO (March 2, 2026) – Snow League athlete Kaishu Hirano of Murakami, Japan, made world-record history at The Snow League Event Three in the halfpipe at Buttermilk at Aspen Snowmass this weekend. During qualifications on Friday, February 27, Hirano set a new world record for the highest halfpipe air, soaring 25 feet, 2 inches (7.68 meters) above the lip of the 22-foot halfpipe while holding a backside method grab at the peak of his jump. Hirano’s new record is currently pending Guinness World Record verification.
In a nod to the camaraderie and friendships at play behind-the-scenes of competitive snowboarding, Hirano received a pull in at the top of the halfpipe from fellow Snow League competitors including two Olympic gold medalists—his older brother and Beijing 2022 champion Ayumu Hirano (JPN) and Milano Cortina 2026 champion Yuto Totsuka (JPN)—along with Jake Pates (USA) and Joey Okesson (USA), launching him into the speed needed for his record-breaking air.
The original benchmark of 25 feet (7.62 meters) was set in 2016 by Snow League founder and three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, who was on hand in Aspen to witness this new record.
The inspiration for his success can be attributed to the Jeep® Brand, Official Global Automotive Partner of The Snow League, who announced the launch of the Jeep® Biggest Air Badge in Aspen this weekend. The all-new, performance-based award recognizes athletes who achieve the Biggest Air at every league halfpipe finals event in both women’s and men’s fields. Although the Jeep® Biggest Air Badges are reserved for Finals Day competitors, Jeep made an exception, acknowledging Kaishu’s incredible achievement during qualifiers.
The inaugural Jeep® Biggest Air Badges were awarded to Totsuka and Brooke D’Hondt (CAN).
K. Hirano is currently ranked 20th in the Snow League World Championship Standings with his best result of fifth-place earned at Event Two in China.
About The Snow League
Launched in June 2024, The Snow League is the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing. Founded by three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White, Season One features a four-event global format boasting a $2.2 million season purse, with athletes competing to earn points to determine the overall champions. The season kicked off at Buttermilk in Aspen Snowmass (March 7–8, 2025), then headed to Yunding Snow Park, China (Dec. 4–6, 2025), where 16 of the world’s top freeskiers joined the roster at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games venue. The League returned to Aspen (Feb. 27–28, 2026) and concludes at LAAX, Switzerland (March 19–21, 2026), where the first-ever Snow League World Champions will be crowned.
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